Ginger Snaps
by Lily of the Shadow
Summary: Kaede speaks with Kagome about her suspicions, and Ginger's mom meets an old enemy, an event which only brings more questions...
1. InuYahsa's Ears

Gah... I'm going to kill Catty and Nicole... It's their fault. Alllll their fault. I tried. I really tried. I did NOT want to add ANOTHER work to my already huge 'unfinished pile', but they made me. It's all their fault... Although... Without them I would have been denied the pleasure of knowing InuYasha. But then again, what with my habit of collecting imaginary boyfriends, it's welll, ... you get the picture. In any case... I haven't seen past episode 21, so I have about NO clue who this Sango girl is, or what she's like, so... We'll say she decided to take a vacation, ne? Oh well. A note: this can and will get confusing, because I'm mixing Japanese and English and I know not a word of Japanese. Well, I know some words, but few are polite, and those that are aren't much use... So.. just tread with caution. Anything the InuYasha chars say (save Kagome) is Japanese. Kagome speaks both languages. Ginger speaks only English. Yeah. Onwards!  
  
($)(%)($)  
  
Standing an unimpressive 5'2", weighing an outrageously normal 120 lbs, and graced with abnormally plain, dirty blonde hair, Ginger Brown was incredibly ordinary. Except, of course, for her unique fashion sense and eclectic set of interests.  
  
She could often be found dressed in jeans that she had embroidered herself with the likeness of a wolf howling at the moon, wearing a patriotic t- shirt, a black knit cap and embroidery floss wrapped around the earpieces of her classes, sitting on her bed listening to a CD of rock music mixed with world music, working on a happy-face cross-stitch sampler. Or something else of equal mix-and-match styles.  
  
However, none of this applied right now. Right now, she was dressed in her brother's old jeans (which barely kept from falling), an old t-shirt which she had painted with watercolors to create a rather unique piece, a pair of blue sneakers, and her sunglasses on her head like a headband. She blinked furiously.  
  
"Stupid contacts..." She muttered, rubbing one (heavily eye-lined) eye. On her MP3 player, the headphones to which hung around her neck, blared out Orinoco Flow, by Enya. The music was strangely loud in the dead-silent wood surroundings, and Ginger was grateful. She made her way deep into the woods to her favorite hangout, an old well which had been long dry. It was in the middle of a small glade, and covered in vines. Ginger had often contemplated seeing if the vines would carry her weight and going down the well, but she ultimately decided against risking her life.  
  
She breathed a sigh of relief as she sat on the edge of the well, gazing into it. After a good rainstorm, you could see the sun reflect off the bottom full of water, so she knew it wasn't too deep. Right now, however, it was dark, despite the nearly overhead sun. Ginger leaned against one of the posts that once must have held up a roof over the well.  
  
She sat, just listening to her music, which had now changed to 'Change the World' from InuYasha. All was silent for a time, save the music of course, so it was no real surprise when Ginger jumped when a bird flew across the clearing, twittering loudly.  
  
This, by laws of nature, caused a chain reaction. Ginger jumped, causing her to lose her balance, causing her to fall into the well. She grabbed for a vine to slow or stop her fall, which caused it to break, which allowed her to land with a heavy thud on the bottom, which in turn allows our story to really begin.  
  
):::(  
  
"Did you hear something?" The silver-haired half-demon asked. His companion, raven-haired Kogome, shook her head.  
  
"No. But then again, I don't exactly have super hearing or whatever." She said, looking around at the woods that surrounded them. "InuYasha?" She asked when her friend suddenly looked sharply at a place over to their left.  
  
"This way." He said. "There's someone there." He leapt over a clump of bushes and darted through the trees, Kagome clinging to his back for dear life.  
  
'When did he pick me up again?' She though absently, keeping an eye out on the path ahead. They stopped suddenly in a tiny clearing, a void space of perhaps a few trees, filled with a well. Something inside grunted and then sighed in frustration, muttered a few very impolite words, and then apparently slapped the well's stone wall.  
  
They saw one of the vines move and cautiously made their way to the old well, and peered in. A very frustrated teen stood, tugging hard on the vine before grasping it firmly and hoisting herself up about a foot off the ground. She braced her feet on the mossy stone and tried to climb up, but the vine gave way, leaving her to land with a grunt on the bottom. She glared up at the sky. Her eyes suddenly widened as she saw the two people peering into the well.  
  
"Hey! Can you help me out here, please? I kind of... fell..." She said, trailing off. Kagome nearly laughed. InuYasha rolled his eyes.  
  
"Here, grab this, we'll pull you out!" Kagome dropped the end of a particularly thick vine down. "InuYasha, help me out here." She said. InuYasha (very) reluctantly took hold of the vine. Together they easily pulled the girl to the top. She grasped the edge of the well, pulled herself the rest of the way out, and collapsed on the ground.  
  
"Thanks tons." She said with a sigh, her eyes closed.  
  
"You're American?" Kagome asked.  
  
"Ye—"the girl froze. She glanced around the glade. "This is not home..." She muttered. Her eyes finally landed on InuYasha. She shrieked and scrambled to her feet, backing up against a tree.  
  
"Don't worry, he won't hurt you. He's a good half-demon. Wait—If you're American, then how would you know to be frightened of a demon? And for that matter, how on earth did you get here? And—"Kagome was cut off by InuYasha's hand over her mouth.  
  
"Shut up, alright?" He turned to the terrified girl. "Who are you?" The girl stared at him blankly. Hen she shook her head.  
  
"I don't speak Japanese." She said. He stopped, glanced at Kagome, who's eyes were glaring at him over his hand. He removed the offending appendage before harm came it.  
  
"He asked who you were." Kagome translated. Ginger nodded.  
  
"Ginger. Ginger Brown. I think I hit my head on my way down, I'm dreaming that InuYasha and Kagome are standing here in front of me.  
  
Kagome looked vaguely surprised. InuYasha looked suspicious.  
  
"She said our names. How does she know us? Does she posses a jewel shard?"  
  
"Relax, InuYasha. I don't know, and not that I can sense." Kagome snapped before turning back to the Ginger.  
  
"Ginger, was it? How did you get here?"  
  
"I believe I'm dreaming." Ginger said, sitting down. She kept shooting glances at InuYasha, looking very much like she was restraining herself.  
  
"How come? I mean, falling into a well and coming out somewhere else is rather odd, I'd know... But I have a feeling it's something more."  
  
"You... and him... are cartoons." Ginger said simply, pointing to make her point better. Kagome looked confused.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"There's a whole show! It's called InuYasha, and it's about InuYasha and Kagome, and their searching for the shards of this jewel, the name escapes me, so that they can put it back together and.. well, I'm not sure what they're going to do with it again, but InuYasha wants it to become full demon... Or something like that. My friend only got me hooked about a week ago." She finished sheepishly. Kagome looked astonished. InuYasha was not sitting on the ground, staring hard at Ginger, almost as if trying to read her. It was unnerving to say the least.  
  
Ginger fidgeted some more while Kagome digested her story.  
  
"So you're from a world where this is all a TV show." Kagome said, rather than asked.  
  
"Yes." Ginger replied, her glances towards the silver-haired man becoming more frequent.  
  
"And you fell down a well in America, which led you to not only to Feudal Japan, but an apparently alternate universe of Feudal Japan."  
  
"Either that or I'm dreaming..." Ginger said. She was now wringing her hands in her lap, eyes flickering between Kagome, who was deep in thought, and InuYasha, who was busy staring at the sky with a very 'gah. What are we doing this for again?' expression on. She suddenly jumped up and nearly tackled InuYasha, straddling his back. She giggled and reached up to touch his ears. InuYasha, caught between annoyance and irritation, wasted no time in standing up, letting Ginger fall off her back. She giggled slightly insanely.  
  
"That's more fun than kneading meatloaf!" She exclaimed. Kogome blinked, thrown off by the sudden personality switch. Ginger suddenly got serious again. "Gomenasi, InuYasha-sama." She said, bowing politely. InuYasha glared.  
  
"No accepted." He said. Ginger looked at Kagome.  
  
"SIT BOY!" She cried. InuYasha fell to the ground with a cry, and Ginger giggled again. He glared at the two girls.  
  
"Apology accepted..." He muttered, looking away.  
  
"He accepts your apology." Kogome said brightly. "You said you didn't speak Japanese, though."  
  
"I know a few words here and there, and I know my honorifics. I think." Ginger suddenly looked thoughtful. "Or something like that."  
  
"Oh." Kagome said. She glanced at the sulking InuYasha. "How about you come with us to our camp, we'll get this mess sorted out somehow."  
  
"Okay! Say, where in the series is this?"  
  
"Beg your pardon?" Kagome asked. Ginger shook her head.  
  
"Never mind. I'll figure it out somehow." Ginger said.  
  
"Come on, InuYasha." She said, not looking at whom she was addressing.  
  
"Stupid girl." InuYasha muttered, following the two out of the woods to where Shippo and Miroku were seated by a small fire.  
  
"Finally! We were about to come looking for y—"The young fox-demon stopped short when he saw Ginger trailing slightly behind Kagome.  
  
"Sorry Shippo. Something came up, as you can see..."  
  
"And who might this lovely lady be?" Miroku was instantly on his feet, clutching Ginger's hand delicately.  
  
"Back off, Brock." She said, withdrawing her hand. She giggled slightly at his confused expression.  
  
"She doesn't speak Japanese, but apparently your reputation precedes you." Kagome explained. Ginger giggled again as Miroku's still confused expression.  
  
"Now, Ginger... Care to tell your story from beginning to... well, now?" Kogome asked. Ginger nodded and launched into an animated explanation of the events since that morning...  
  
(#)($)(#)  
  
Let me know honestly if I should scrap it. And if I made any mistakes PLEASE let me know! in reality, the first episode of InuYasha I saw was about two weeks ago, on a night of insomnia. Then I found a really cool site that has the episodes you can watch online, but they only have up to episode 21. So I'm angry. I don't have any more to go on! (cries) oh well... Review if you care! 


	2. Irritating Translations

Heh... Only one review for this chapter! Oh well.  
  
Mockingbirdflyaway: Adult Swim on Cartoon Network, around 1 AM. That's when we get it here. But I can't stay up till one and still expect to be up by 7 (for Beyblade) so some sacrifices must be made. Alas. And thanks for the info on Sango! I don't think I'll be including her, but it's helpful. Now I can watch the movie without being utterly confused. BTW: your penname sounds incredibly familiar... Have we met before, like on a message board or something? Anyway, thanks for reviewing!  
  
I realized I forgot a disclaimer... As usual. So here's one now: I do not own InuYasha, however much I wish I did. I co-own him with Catty and Nicole! Sesshomaru is co-owned by me and Nicole, and if you honestly belive that the preceding is anything but teenage-hormone-induced fantasy on the part of several otaku, you're a lunatic. Here. (hands u a strait jacked) Join the club!  
  
($)(%)($)  
  
Ginger was leaned up against a tree, staring at the fire, around which Kagome was translating her story for the benefit of the three who spoke no English.  
  
"I don't trust this girl." InuYasha said. "She knows too much about us."  
  
"She said it was all a TV show where she comes from!" Kagome protested.  
  
"A TV Show? You never did explain what that was..." Shippo broke in.  
  
"It's... Like a big box that puts on plays behind glass." Kagome said. Shippo nodded. "Anyway, I think that it would be best to just try and get her back home." She finished.  
  
Ginger, meanwhile, was bored out of her mind. The four had been talking for a while, and she couldn't understand hardly a word of Japanese. She reached into her pocked and searched for something to do. Nothing in that pocket...nothing in that one... ah-hah! Here: another cross-stitch sampler.  
  
She usually carried one around just for this purpose. Not falling into Feudal Japan, but occasions when she had nothing to occupy herself. Holding the needle between her lips, Ginger turned her MP3 player(which had remained clipped to her belt) on and spread her work over her lap, separating strands of red thread. Carefully, she began working on what would eventually be a ring of flowers that she could put a name inside. She planned on putting her baby sister's name, Alexandria, in it.  
  
"Ginger?" Kagome approached her. Ginger looked up, still working on the last four stitched in the row. "Are you hungry?" Kagome held out a rice ball for her. "I don't have any American food with me, but you're welcome to what I do have." She said. Ginger smiled.  
  
"Thank you." She said, carefully rolling her work up, replacing in the bag and accepting the food. Kagome sat down across from her.  
  
"Do you have any clue whatsoever how you got here? As far as I know, there is only one well through which you can come here, and even that you need a jewel shard to get through it."  
  
"Nope... I mean, I have nothing out of the ordinary with me. MP3 player, cross-stitch, necklace that I've worn for three years, poison ring my grandmother gave me..." Gigner trailed off, searching her pockets. She then looked in her socks and pulled out a small felt pocket of about 2 by 3 ½ inches. She pulled out a small picture of her holding Alexandria. "Picture of myself and my sister..."  
  
"Oh, she's so cute!" Kagome said, grasping the picture. Gigner laughed.  
  
"Yeah, until you have to change her diaper, give her baths, feed her, and wake up at two AM to comfort her." Ginger said, taking the picture and tucking it back into her sock so that it wouldn't fall out. "But none of that has any mystical value whatsoever!" Ginger lay back against the tree, munching on the rice ball. Once it was finished, she sighed. "How will I get home? I mean, no offense, but I can't be gone too long, and even if I could, a feudal Japan riddled with demons isn't my choice of location."  
  
"None taken. But how will we get you home if we don't know how you got here in the first place?" Kagome sat, silent for a moment.  
  
"We could just drop me back down the well. Surely that could work." Ginger suggested. Kagome looked at her, then hit her forehead.  
  
"Of course! Why didn't I think of that in the first place! We could have had you home hours ago!" She said, jumping up. "Guys, I'm going with Ginger back to the well. We're going to see if she can get back home." She turned to Ginger who stood and dusted herself off. They walked into the woods and nearly cried out when InuYasha jumped down in front of them.  
  
"You can't go out alone, Kagome." He ordered. Kagome sighed.  
  
"Are you going to come and help out then?" InuYasha nodded. Kagome grinned. "Come on then!" She said. Ginger smiled at the obvious attraction between the two, even if she couldn't understand what was being said. The walk was silent, for the most part, and sooner than Ginger expected, they had arrived at the well. Ginger took a deep breath and sat on the edge.  
  
"If this works and I'm gone, I wish y'all luck and all." She said with a grin. "Here..." She took off her necklace. "To remember me by. I can tell my friends I lost my necklace in feudal Japan! Ah well. Adios!" She looked down into the hole. "Hakuna Matata!" She said, jumping down into the hole. This time she was expecting to fall, so she was positioned so that she could cushion her own fall. She landed in a crouch, eyes closed. She silently prayed that it had worked.  
  
"Ginger?" Ginger sighed, looking up to where Kagome was peering down in concern. Ginger located the vine that she had used to climb up before and grasped it tightly. Kagome and InuYasha pulled her up. Minutes later, she knelt by the well, arms propped up on the edge, staring in.  
  
"Maybe... It's your necklace?" Kagome suggested.  
  
"Can't be." Gigner said, still glaring into the now inky depths of the well.  
  
"How come? You came though with it on, you couldn't go back with it off."  
  
"Well one, it's not a jewel shard. And two, well, the reason I have it is because it brought a friend of mine bad luck kind of. She was wearing it when she fell down mountain biking and twisted her ankle. She was wearing it on that one date she had that turned out to be a disaster. But the clincher was that she was wearing it when she fell down this same well... Or the American end of it, at least, and broke her leg. She was going to throw it away when I took it." Gigner glanced at the silver chain from which hung a silver, many-pointed star.  
  
"Oh... And she didn't come though." Kagome finished. Ginger nodded.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Well... What could it be then?" Kagome cried in frustration. She then sighed. "You could come with me home. We can call your parents and let them know what happened."  
  
"We should hurry, before they report me kidnapped. That could complicate things a lot." Gigner said thoughtfully. She glanced at her watch, which was still set for her time.  
  
"It's about seven o-clock at home. I've been gone for four hours. If at all possible, I should call by ten or eleven. Is that possible?" Ginger asked.  
  
"We are kind of close to my well..." Kagome said. "But it's several hours walk... Unless..." Kagome looked at InuYasha.  
  
"What are you looking at me like that for?" He demanded, irritated at not being to understand their conversation.  
  
"InuYasha, could you take Ginger to the well?" Kagome asked sweetly. InuYasha looked disgusted.  
  
"No!" She said. Ginger giggled, having caught the gist of what was being said, and InuYasha's firm but outraged 'iie' was too funny.  
  
"I'll let you listen to your theme song!" Ginger said, grinning. InuYasha looked confused until Kagome translated. He looked at her.  
  
"I have a theme song?" Kagome translated this for Ginger, who nodded.  
  
"Were you not listening to my story? You're part of an anime series!" Ginger said, laughing and pulling out her MP3 player. Not having been introduced to this yet, and not understanding what Ginger was saying, he jumped when she turned it on and it began playing 'Hella Good' quite loudly. Kagome giggled and told him what Ginger has said. InuYasha glared. Gigner turned off the MP3 player.  
  
"I still won't." InuYasha said, folding his arms and looking the other way.  
  
"Sit boy!" Kagome ordered. As InuYasha slammed into the ground face-first, Ginger grinned.  
  
"Feh. Stupid girl..." He muttered. Finally wising up, he consented. "But only if I get some more ramen." He added. Kagome sighed.  
  
"Fine. Ramen. Gotcha. Just get her home and quickly!" Kagome ordered. InuYasha grumbled and walked over to Ginger, who jumped on his back. He gave one last glare at Kagome and took off, leaping at incredible speed.  
  
"EEP!" Ginger cried, tightening her grip on her own elbows so that she felt more secure, but didn't choke InuYasha. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to ignore the fact that she was going almost as fast as a car would without a seatbelt, airbags, or any sort of safety measure whatsoever. He finally set her down in a clearing with a square well in the middle.  
  
"Wow... this is too cool! I mean, this is..." Ginger shook her head. "I need to stop. Anyway...YIKES!" She cried when InuYasha picked her up again.  
  
"You couldn't get through alone without a jewel shard." He said, knowing full well she couldn't understand. Ginger's shock was the only thing keeping her from screaming as they fell down the well.  
  
Finally, Ginger stood on wobbly legs as InuYasha jumped straight up and out of the well. She sighed and reached for the ladder, gingerly climbing up it.  
  
"I'm going back to get Kagome. You stay." He pointed at the ground. Gigner caught the word Kagome and worked out that he was going back for her. She settled down on the floor behind the well, out of sight should anyone peek in. InuYasha jumped back into the well. Gigner sighed and pulled out her cross-stitch. By the time InuYasha returned with Kagome she was about halfway finished.  
  
"Come on, Ginger." Kagome said. She led the still slightly stunned girl to her house and into the kitchen.  
  
"Kagome! You're home early this weekend. Oh? Who's this?" Kagome's mom caught sight of Ginger.  
  
"Mom, this is Ginger." Kagome said in English. "Ginger, this is my mom."  
  
"Nice to meet you." Gigner said slightly shyly. Kagome's mom smiled.  
  
"Welcome, dear. Where are you from? You have an American accent." She noted.  
  
"America. Something weird happened, and I'm now... well, I don't rightfully know." Gigner trailed off.  
  
"She fell down a well where she's from and ended up in feudal Japan." Kagome said. "We don't know how, or why, but we were wondering if she could call her family from here until she can find a way to get back."  
  
"Oh! Of course she can. Here you go." Kagome's mom said, handing Ginger the phone.  
  
"Thank you." Ginger smiled. She dialed her home phone number and waited anxiously. Instead of ringing, she got a message saying that the number didn't exist. She gaped slightly before hanging up and the quickly dialing her mom's cell phone. When that 'didn't exist' she dialed her dad's. Then her dad's work. Her best friend. Her best-friend's ex-crush. None picked up, or they weren't in existence, or something like that. Ginger, who had been pacing, collapsed to her knees.  
  
"I should have figured. His is some weird alternate universe, I can't call home..." se said, tears welling up behind her eyes. She closed her eyes and buried her face in her hands. Kagome knelt beside her, trying to soothe the poor girl.  
  
"I can't believe this... It'... outrageous! It's impossible! I have to be dreaming! That's the only way!" Ginger whispered desperately. Finally she couldn't help it and hot tears rolled down her cheeks. "This is impossible..."  
  
(#)($)(#)  
  
Erm... Wasn't intending that to be so emotional. But oh well! It will get more humorous once I work through this here... Naturally this will wind up with a happy ending, I can't help it. But there will be trials. And I'm the judge! Yay for me! Anyway... let me know if this is being read peoples! Is peoples a real word, spell check didn't say it wasn't... hm. Oh well. 


	3. Babel Beads

Hello again! I'm proud to inform you all that I have finally figured out some semblance of a plot for this story! As well as (dun dun dunnnnnn dramatic pause) the plot and first chapter of the sequel! Yay!... erm, yes. Well then...  
  
Lil'killer: the website is animecrave (just ad the www. and the dot com). And the 'Back off, Brock' was not, in fact, a mistake... Rather it was my brother's questionable viewing choices speaking... They were watching Pokemon at the time... Anyway... thank you for reviewing!  
  
Mockingbirdflyaway: I just realized where I know you from: Scribbling quill. Of course, that place is like, dead now, but... And yes, I realize that it does look rather unprofessional, but (heh) I've never actually used the quickedit feature, so I didn't know that they had it. Thanks for the tip!  
  
Padfootlet: HAH!! I GOT YOU TO READ AN IY FIC! YOU'RE OFFICIALLY OBSESSED! MUHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!  
  
In any case... Here ya go!

* * *

Ginger sat on the cool grass beneath the ancient tree to which InuYasha had been pinned. After the vague shock of not being able to contact her family had worn off, she had virtually demanded that she be taken back to the feudal era.  
  
InuYasha, of course, protested profusely, but his complaints fell on deaf ears at Kagome's explanation.  
  
"She's nobody here! She'd just be wasting time doing nothing, because to do anything nowadays you need proof of identity. She doesn't have that! As far as things go, she's a non-entity." Kagome has said as she prepared to return to her era. She had a test the next day that she couldn't miss. InuYasha has complained about lack of communication skills, but Kagome just shook her head, saying 'You're smart.'  
  
So now, against his will, InuYasha was stuck, in his words, babysitting.  
  
"I'm hungry." Ginger suddenly announced. InuYasha just looked at her, raising an eyebrow. Ginger sighed, recalling the language barrier that had managed to crop up due to recent events. InuYasha sighed and decided he was fed up with watching the 'simple-minded child', and decided to take her to the village. He grabbed her by the arm and virtually slung her over his back, eliciting a sharp cry of protest. She instinctively clutched his shirt as he bounded away through the forest.  
  
When they finally came to a stop in front of a hut in the village, Ginger was vaguely reluctant to let go. She finally, after much prodding, let go of InuYasha's shirt and they walked inside the hut.  
  
An old woman sat beside the fire, grinding and mixing herbs with a mortar and pestle. She looked unfazed at seeing the half-demon, but surprised at his company.  
  
"Who is this?" She asked kindly, slowly getting to her feet.  
  
"Somehow she fell into a well somewhere deeper in the forest. She comes from a place that Kagome called Amelica, or something like that." InuYasha said, sitting down and helping himself to the stew that hung over the fire.  
  
"Are ye alright, child?" the woman asked kindly. Ginger looked at her a moment.  
  
"She doesn't speak Japanese. Kagome speaks her language, though. Engrits or something."  
  
"America and English, idiot." Ginger said, picking up on his mistakes. InuYasha looked at her in vague surprise. She ignored this and turned to the woman. "Are you Kaede?" She asked.  
  
Kaede looked even more surprised, but wasn't sure what she was asking. "I am Kaede..." She said. "Who are ye?" Ginger's turn to be confused. Then she realized that Kaede was probably asking her name.  
  
"Oh what I wouldn't give for a Babel-fish right now..." She muttered. She then pointed to herself, saying her name. Kaede got the message.  
  
"Well then, Ginger... We need to see what we can do about this language barrier problem we have." Kaede said, returning to her place by the fire. She began examining various articles around her. She finally licked up some long, thin string which Ginger suspected wasn't only string. She examined it closely before setting it down. She then started examining various other charms and amulets that surrounded her.  
  
Ginger lost interest and began gazing around the rest of the hut. She took in all the magical items, the drying herbs and such. It fascinated her to no end. Once she was finished exploring, she settled down across the fire from Kaede. InuYasha was laying on his side, facing the fire, with his back up against the side of the hut, still eating/drinking the soup from a wooden bowl.  
  
"Aren't ye hungry?" Kaede asked. When Ginger only looked confused, Kaede pointed towards the pot of stew that was bubbling away over the fire. Ginger nodded slowly. Kaede picked up a bowl and ladled some soup into it. She handed Ginger the bowl and a pair of chopsticks. Ginger looked at the chopsticks a moment before smiling.  
  
"Good thing I usually use them anyway..." She muttered, picking out the vegetables and eating them. She slowly and methodically ate, first the vegetables of one kind, then another, then sip the broth, then the last kind of vegetable and then the meat. By the time she had finished, she was vary tired. With a sigh she noted that it must be close to midnight.  
  
Her day had been exhausting, both physically and mentally. She curled up on her side without even a blanket and fell directly asleep.  
  
She awoke the next morning to a beam of sunlight shining directly on her face. She sat up slowly, taking in the empty hut. 'I wonder where everyone is...' She wondered. She noticed a few rice balls set on the plate near her head, which had been adjusted onto a pillow. She finally noticed that she wasn't where she had fallen asleep but a little further from the fire. Someone had put her on a sleeping mat with a blanket. She smiled, folding up the blanket and rolling up the mat. She placed it in the corner and sat down, staring pensively into the fire as she ate her breakfast.  
  
Kaede soon returned, InuYasha in tow. InuYasha was carrying a large basket.  
  
"Why do I have to carry all this for you, old woman? You're the healer!"  
  
"Because." Kaede muttered, sitting down beside the fire again. She picked up a string of beads that appeared similar to InuYasha's, except it was all of small, ebony black beads. Kaede gestured for Ginger to come closer and she did. Kaede fastened the string of beads like a choker and then sat back.  
  
"Can ye understand me?" She asked. Ginger's eyes widened.  
  
"What? This... How?" She gasped in astonishment. Kaede's eyes lit up and se smiled.  
  
"Ah! So it did work!" She exclaimed. "I wasn't sure if it would. I've never had to understand another language like that ye speak."  
  
"What is it?" Ginger asked, fingering the beads.  
  
"That, my dear, is a secret." Kagome said. InuYasha rolled his eyes with his signature 'feh.'  
  
"The old woman probably forgot how she did it." He said. Ginger glared at him.  
  
"Hasn't anyone told you to respect your elders?" She said. Then she paused, but before InuYasha could say anything... "Or rather, to respect those wiser than you?" She amended, looking rather smug. InuYasha looked at a loss for a retort, and so he just rolled his eyes again, exiting the hut.  
  
"So... Seriously, how can I speak Japanese? I mean, like with Babel-fish you only understand... So... How is this working?" Ginger asked. Kaede looked thoughtful for a moment.  
  
"The last language ye hear spoken is the language ye will be understood as speaking." Kaede said. Ginger looked impressed.  
  
"Geeze... I'm never telling anyone ever again that I don't believe in magic..." She said, still amazed. "This could get difficult in Spanish class, though..."  
  
"Spanish class?" Kaede asked. Ginger went on to explain all about her classes at school, her family, her friends, and all manner of trivial information as Kaede went about her daily chores. By the time Ginger had exhausted herself of topics, it was late afternoon. InuYasha entered the hut, followed closely by Kagome.  
  
"How did you do on your test?" Ginger asked casually. Kagome looked astonished.  
  
"How did you learn Japanese so quickly?" She asked.  
  
"I don't rightly know. Ask Kaede. It's got something to do with this choker." Ginger said, fingering the necklace. Kagome smiled.  
  
"Kaede, you never cease to amaze me! Anyway, guess what I brought!" She held up her backpack. I noted that InuYasha was now staring at it, waiting anxiously. Ginger wildly guessed that it was ramen. She was proved right when Kagome pulled out the packages and began preparing their late lunch/early dinner.  
  
During their meal they began discussing various ideas for what brought Ginger here and what could take her back. About halfway through dinner, Miroku and Shippo decided to finally show up.  
  
"Where were you guys all day?" InuYasha demanded.  
  
"Out. Somewhere." Miroku offered under InuYasha's fierce glare. Shippo bounced over to sit in Kagome's lap.  
  
"We were out looking for jewel shards in the nearby woods." He said cheerfully.  
  
"And how did you expect to find them? You can't sense them!" InuYasha demanded.  
  
"Hey, doggie, lighten up. They're sparkly!" Ginger proclaimed happily, slurping down her ramen almost as fast as InuYasha had. Everyone looked at her in surprise. She laughed. It seemed as though she was back to the mood she was in when she had molested InuYasha's ears the day before. She shook her head.  
  
"I'm sorry, really... I just have really weird coping methods..." She explained tentatively. She giggled once more, then struggled to remain serious. "And this situation I'm in requires me to cope..." Everyone gave her understanding looks. She stood. "Mind if I take a walk?"  
  
"I'll join you." Miroku offered, jumping up and following Ginger out of the hut. He caught up with her as she walked down the path by the river.  
  
"Must be hard..." He said gently. Ginger sighed.  
  
"Yeah, it is. I don't know if I'll ever get home."  
  
"It'll be alright..." Miroku said, pulling her into a hug. Ginger, though slightly expecting it, was no less surprised and outraged when Miroku too the opportunity to grab her butt.  
  
"YEOUCH!! What was that for?!" Miroku cried, rubbing the now sore spot on his head.  
  
"Wild guess." Ginger said, smirking. Miroku winced.  
  
"I have a headache now..."  
  
"Yup! You will for a while. I've perfected my technique."  
  
"Technique?" Miroku stopped rubbing his head to look at the girl. She grinned.  
  
"Yup. I use it on lechers like you. Simple way of hitting the head just right so that for a few moments it hurts in one spot but it then spreads to a dull ache throughout the entire head." Ginger explained happily. Miroku muttered, but smiled through the headache.  
  
"Well... It works..."  
  
"Of course it does!" Ginger said, laughing now. Miroku glared half- heartedly.  
  
"Well, think of it like this, it's better than getting hit in the head with a giant boomerang." Ginger said, grinning. At Miroku's confused look her grin widened.  
  
"Ahh... So she hasn't arrived? Good. I don't know much about her anyway." Ginger shrugged. Miroku's confusion, along with his headache, grew. "Let's head back..." She suggested. Miroku, needless to say, didn't object.  
  
They arrived back at the hut nearer to nightfall. Kagome took in Miroku's slightly pained expression and Ginger's self-satisfied one and giggled.  
  
They all set out their bedrolls, InuYasha by the door, Kagome and Ginger in one corner, Miroku in the direct opposite corner, and Kaede next to the fire. Shippo curled up next to Kagome and fell asleep almost instantly.  
  
The hut soon filled with the soft, deep breathing of it's sleeping inhabitants.  
  
Ginger, however, lay awake, running the past two days in her mind. She desperately searched her mind for any way possible to return home. She didn't wan to spend her entire life stuck in feudal Japan!

* * *

Well... Yes. Indeed. I had to fit Miroku groping someone in there somewhere. This is an exceptionally long chapter, I realize... It's just... that if I were to cut it in half, each half would be extra short! Well, but my standards... Anyway... The plot will be set rolling within the next few chapters, once Ginger gets home... Reviews are appreciated, flames will be used to kill Voltaire and Boris! 


	4. Return Journey

Heh. One review. This is almost as pathetic as DFG. Oh well. I like it, so I'll continue!  
  
Padfootlet: Yeah. Sure. You keep telling yourself that, kiddo.

* * *

"Where am I?" Ginger asked aloud, looking around. She stood in a vast, empty space, a flat plane of existence topped with a dull grey, cloudy sky. Even as she stood it began to rain. The flat, concrete-like land didn't soak up the water, nor did it allow it to run off anywhere.  
  
Ginger stared around, confused. The rain, though pouring hard and fast, didn't seem to affect her. Finally, it seemed as though a swirl of darkness emerged from the ground beside her. It formed into what looked like a column of smoke, and then it blew away as though caught in a light breeze. In it's place was revealed a woman.  
  
"Mom?" Ginger asked, staring incredulously at the woman before her.  
  
"Hello, Ginger." Her mom said kindly. "Ginger, you know how to get home."  
  
'There's mom, cutting to the chase like that...' Ginger thought ironically. "I do?" She asked aloud.  
  
"Yes. Just as you know of your origins."  
  
"Okay, you're aren't my mom. Mom never was that cryptic." Ginger sighed, crossing her arms.  
  
"Your great Grandma Leiko would be ashamed. She chose you, out of all her grandchildren."  
  
"She died three years ago." Ginger looked at her mom. "I never heard anything about her giving me in particular anything in her will."  
  
"But it wasn't on paper, child." Ginger spun around to see her deceased ancestor standing there, as young as in the pictures Ginger had seen of her childhood.  
  
"G-Grandma Leiko?" Ginger said, now entirely confused. She stomped her foot indigently, eliciting a large splash from the now accumulated inch of rainwater. "Someone tell me in plain English what's going on!"  
  
"Come home, baby. Please!" Ginger turned back to her pleading mom.  
  
"I will. If I can figure out how." Ginger said.  
  
"You silly child, just jump in the well!" Leiko said, laughing. Ginger rolled her eyes.  
  
"I tri—Mom? Leiko?" Ginger looked around. They had vanished, and along with it her seeming protection from the rain. It was now coming down in torrents, the water level slowly creeping up. Ginger had bowed over slightly from the force of the rain. She took a deep breath before passing out.  
  
"Ginger! Wake up!"  
  
Ginger felt something shaking her. Her eyes shot open and her first instinct was to try and cough up the nonexistent water.  
  
"Whoa! It's okay, calm down! Whatever it was it was just a dream." Ginger looked up to see Kagome leaning over her, looking concerned.  
  
"I have to get home." Ginger said immediately. "I have to! I've got to figure out what the heck is going on, I've got to get home!"  
  
"Calm down! We'll get you home, I promise." Kagome assured her. Ginger barely relaxed at all.  
  
"Let me see that necklace." Ginger said, pointing to the silver chain that Kagome had wrapped around her wrist as if a bracelet. She took it off and handed it to Ginger, who took it and examined it closely.  
  
"Oh my..." She muttered when she noted the tiny engravings on the tip of one of the points. "L.G. Leiko Gin... But... How did Linda get it?" Ginger muttered to herself. She put the necklace back on her neck.  
  
"Take me to the well. I think... This might just be what I needed after all." Ginger finished quietly. Kagome nodded.  
  
"Well come on. I'll go get InuYasha. He can carry us both." Kagome stood and left. Ginger finally sat up and looked around.  
  
"Thank you for your hospitality, Kaede. It has been much appreciated." Ginger moved to remove the beads that Kaede had given her.  
  
"Ye should keep the beads. Ye never know when ye might need them."  
  
"Thank you." Ginger whispered. "Bye!"  
  
"Farewell, Ginger." Kaede said as Ginger walked out of the hut towards the forest without waiting for Kagome and InuYasha. When the caught up with her, InuYasha merely slung her over his back much as he had the day before.  
  
"GEEZE! You're going to break my arm off doing that, kid!" Ginger said, glaring at the back of his head.  
  
"Kid? Who are you calling kid, kid?" InuYasha shot back.  
  
"I call everyone kid. We're here!" Ginger jumped off InuYasha before he could drop her. Kagome jumped down slightly more gracefully.  
  
"Well, It was nice knowing you. Who knows, perhaps we'll meet again someday." Kagome said. She gave Ginger a hug before stepping back.  
  
"I'm off. Wish me luck!"  
  
And with that, Ginger dropped out of sight into the stone well, landing with a soft thump.  
  
"Hello?" She called. Silence replied. She smiled slightly, reaching for a vine and checking it's strength. She finally managed to climb up the sides and left the woods. Once she emerged from the tree line, she was swarmed by her mother, other family, friends, and a few police officers. 'Time to act!' Ginger thought. She put on an incredibly confused expression.  
  
"What's going on? I leave for one hour and you organize a family reunion?" She looked at her mom.  
  
"Baby, what are you talking about, you were gone for two days!"  
  
"Mom, you're crazy." Ginger shook her head.  
  
"Miss, where were you for two days?" A cop asked, taking her hand.  
  
"I was barely gone for an hour!" Ginger protested. "I went for a walk down to the well. I fell in, I climbed out, I came home. End of story!"  
  
"No memory of the past two days. You must have been unconscious the whole time." Another police officer said. She tutted and sighed. "Let's get you to the hospital for a checkup."  
  
Ginger gave a fake sigh of resignation, and an expression that said 'I guess I cant get out of it'. She allowed herself to be whisked away to the hospital.  
  
She stayed for two whole days, getting X-rayed, poked, prodded, injected full of stuff and X-rayed some more.  
  
Finally, during a moments peace, Ginger fingered the necklace around her neck, pondering over the last few days. She sighed and glanced at the clock. Her mom should have been back from looking over the X-rays with the doctor. She wondered what took them so long.  
  
((In the X-ray laboratory))  
  
"Ms. Brown, this is a highly unusual case. I assure you, the... whatever it is... poses no threat to your daughter's health as far as we can tell, but we should run a few more tests to be positive."  
  
"I know what it is. It's some sort of marble!" Alicia Brown said, staring at the X-rays on the light board. Just beneath the ribcage there was a white spot, clearer than the bones, as if someone has put a disk of lead there during the X-ray.  
  
"A lead marble? Ma'am, It's some unknown metal, it wasn't identified by the detectors we have. We'll need to operate and remove it. We'll examine it and proceed from there. It's a simple operation, it will take no more than a half hour. Ginger will be able to leave the hospital within a few days." The doctor said. Alicia fidgeted.  
  
"I'll speak with my daughter on this." She said sharply before turning and leaving the room, mind still on the white spot in the X-rays.

* * *

Alrighty then... Ginger is back home, we know what got her to feudal Japan... but it's nowhere near time to close the book. Reviews are appreciated, as well as cash, check or money-order donations. I also accept MasterCard and Visa. Flames will be used to toast marshmallows to mush in Tala's hair. 


	5. Doctor's' orders

Well... I'll offer no excuses and get right into my thanks.  
  
Mockingbirdflyaway: Similar, I suppose, but not exactly... Thanks for reviewing!  
  
Catty: FINALLY!! Lol, You're lucky, Tala. No flames as of yet! Lol, and thank ye, Kai, Catty. I'll get my BB fic updated ASAP (After September, April Possibly...)... lol

* * *

  
  
"You will fetch the Hitei no Tama immediately. I'll not suffer a fool's incompetence." The sharp, cold voice rang through the air. A small, shrewd looking man replied with a hasty 'Of course, Sir.' Before scurrying out of the vast room.  
  
"Once I have the Hitei no Tama, obtaining the Shikon no Tama will be quite easy..." The man murmured, gazing at a picture of a perfectly clear crystal globe that was drawn on the ancient parchment pages of the book. He ran a long, thin finger over the image almost lovingly. "Yes... Quite easy indeed, even with that _fool_ of a brother in the way."  
  
):::(  
  
"So... you're saying that I have the choice of whether to go through with the operation or not, but you advise me against going through with it?" Ginger stared at her mom, who nodded mutely. "Why do you advise against it?"  
  
"Well, the thing that the doctors want to study hasn't harmed you so far, has it? Why suffer an operation, recuperation and a scar all for science?" Alicia said. Ginger didn't look convinced.  
  
"Whatever this is it hasn't harmed me yet... True... but still... What if I was abducted by aliens in that two day blank spot and they put it here and it's a time-release poison bomb?" Ginger suggested, putting on a mask of fake fear. Her mom, rather than laughing as she normally would, only tensed.  
  
"I assure you, it's harmless."  
  
"How are you sure?" Ginger said. 'Finally we're getting somewhere!' she thought.  
  
"Erm... Mother's intuition." She finally said. The door to the hospital room opened, and a short, thin man in a lab coat entered.  
  
"Ms. Brown? I'm Dr. Jiro, I'd be heading your daughter's operation should she go through with it. If you don't mind I'd like to speak with her alone."  
  
"Of course, Doctor. Ginger, I'm going to go down and get a coffee, alright?"  
  
"Ciao mom." Ginger said with a half wave.  
  
"Now, Miss Brown. Tell me, do you think you will be going through with the operation? I'd like to know from you first."  
  
"I... Don't think I will." Ginger said quietly. "I'm not sure if I..."  
  
"Well, Ginger, let me put it this way. There is an easy way of doing things and a hard way." He lifted a hand to reveal pointed claws in place of fingernails and his lips drew back in a sneer revealing rather pointed canines. "The easy way, in this case, would be the operation. The hard way is that I rip the Hitei no Tama from your body."  
  
Ginger's eyes widened.  
  
"H-Hitei n-no T-Tam-ma??" She gulped. "B-But the Shikon no Tama...Kagome..."  
  
"Fool! You didn't think that the Shikon no Tama was the only jewel to exist with power, did you?" the 'doctor' advanced on the terrified girl, looking for all the world like something out of a vampire movie.  
  
"Leave me alone!" Ginger cried, rolling out of her bed and dashing around it. She barely made it out the door before Jiro was on her tail, chasing her.  
  
"Nurse! She needs to be sedated!" Jiro called to one of the nurses. The woman pulled out a syringe filled with clear liquid. Two burly men had caught Ginger a few yards ahead by now, and the nurse approached.  
  
"Calm down, miss. Please, just relax." When Ginger continued to struggle, the nurse gave her an apologetic look and stuck the needle in her arm, injecting more than half it's contents.  
  
The last thing Ginger saw was Jiro approaching with an incredibly scary smirk.  
  
):::(  
  
"Ginger, wake up." Ginger heard her mother's gentle voice. "Ginger, it's alright. You're home now."  
  
"Wha?"  
  
"I saw almost the whole thing. I don't know what spooked you, but I managed to get the hospital to release you, provided I have a nurse come in daily."  
  
"Doctor.... Not a doctor... Somethingerother no Tama... He tried to get it from me." Ginger rasped out. Her voice surprised even her, it was hoarse and dry.  
  
"You've been out for three whole days." Alicia said gently, handing her daughter a glass of water. "Alexandria missed her sister." Alicia motioned to the one-and-a-half year old child who sat on the floor by the bed, playing with a few blocks. "You missed her first coherent word." Alicia said almost sadly. "She said Ginger yesterday. Well, it was closer to shinjer, but it was still recognizable."  
  
"Hey, Alexandria!" Ginger sat up with only slight difficulty and leaned over the bed.  
  
The blonde-haired girl looked up, a huge grin on her face. "SHINJER!" She cried, crawling over to her bed and hoisting herself up using the covers. Ginger smiled and picked her up, setting her sister on her stomach as she lay back down.  
  
"How have you been, Ria? Didja miss me?" Ginger cooed as best she could with her raspy voice. Alexandria giggled and reached forward, grabbing a chunk of Ginger's thick hair.  
  
"Ah ah ah! No pulling." Ginger said firmly. Alexandria pouted for a moment before going in for another fistful.  
  
"Mom... while you're here, mind telling me what happened at the hospital?"  
  
"Well..." Ginger's mom looked slightly anxious. "I saw you being sedated and so I asked what happened. Doctor Jiro said that he was going to check your vitals and you freaked out. I said that you needed bed rest away from the hustle and bustle of the hospital. Dr. Jiro was opposed, but most of the other doctors and nurses were for it, so I got to bring you home."  
  
"Mom... He came at me as if to attack me!" Ginger protested. "OW! Ria! No pulling!" Ginger pulled the lock of hair from her sister's grasp. "He said something about a jewel. Well, I think it was. Something no Tama. The Jewel of something."  
  
Alicia suddenly looked incredibly nervous.  
  
"Mom? Is there something you need to tell me?"  
  
"You went there, didn't you?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Through that well. To Japan."  
  
"Mom, explain please!"  
  
Alicia stayed silent for a moment. "You need rest, dear. Come on, Alexandria. Ginger needs a nap." And with that she picked the younger of her daughters up and left the room, turning out the light as she went. Ginger sighed deeply.  
  
"I'm apparently not going to get anything out of mom right now... Now what was that _name_... Hikari? Hoshi? Hitomi? Gah... I'm not going to get anything done in this condition. I may as well sleep..."  
  
With that Ginger fell into a restless sleep.

* * *

I'm actually going to get this and possibly another chapter up today. Yay me. I've got the next chapter planned out, as well as the seventh chapter. The seventh chapter is going to be incredibly short compared to these other, but it's for a really good reason, and you'll see why. Chapter Six: A glimpse back to Japan and we find out more about what the X-rays hinted at. I have it entirely written, you just have to review to get it! 


	6. Dear Diary

Sorry for the wait, and the length... My brain refused to cooperate with me, as Catty can testify. Anyway... Catty and Korimi, this is for you becuase y'all were the ONLY two reviewers(hint hint)... Even if Korimi's was totally useless... Yeah...

* * *

"Kagome." Kaede looked sharply at the girl across from her. "Come with me." She stood and motioned for Kagome to follow her, which she did silently. 

"Is something wrong, Lady Kaede?"

"It is not much, but I have a strange feeling. Ginger is not what she seemed. How did she come through the well, and how did she get back?"

"It was the necklace. She came through with it on, but couldn't get back without it."

"Are ye positive?" Kaede asked, looking out over the river.

"We think so." Kagome replied, confused.

"Ah… Well then… Did ye not sense anything from her?"

"No. Do you think she may have had a Shikon Shard?"

"Perhaps now. I suppose ye may be right. Perhaps it is just an old lady's paranoia."

"Alright…" Kagome said. She remained by the river while Kaede returned to the village, staring over the water and wondering what Kaede could have been talking about.

):::(

There came a light knock on the door, surprising Alicia.

'Who could it be at this hour?' She thought, glancing at the clock, which read that it was 6 PM.

"Hello? Can I help you?" She asked the tall man who stood on the porch.

"Perhaps you can. I'm looking for a young lady by the name of Ginger. Ginger Brown. Might she live here?"

"She's presently asleep." Alicia said shortly, taking in the man's aristocratic clothes and demeanor. His black hair fell to mid back, the front pulled away from his face by a navy ribbon, but that did nothing to detract from the vague lawyer/CEO/movie-star quality he seemed to exude.

"Ahh. I see. Perhaps I could come back another time?"

"Her schedule is full for a while. She won't be able to speak with you." Alicia lied, hoping to drive the man away. His silky voice was doing nothing good for her knees, despite the seriously disturbing feeling that she got from him.

"Perhaps she could make time." He said, handing Alicia a card that seemed to be on a thick, old-fashioned parchment paper. Red ink spelled out his information, including a phone number and office hours.

"Call me any time, weekdays during those hours." He said.

"I'll see what I can do, Mr. Onigumo." She said, preparing to close the door.

"Please, Alicia. Call me Naraku."

"Alright then, Naraku. Good day." She abruptly snapped the door shut. A sinister grin spread across the man's face as he returned to the jet-black Corvette waiting in the drive. He backed out of the driveway and flew down the road, smirking as the house faded in the rear-view mirror.

Inside, Alicia slumped against the door, breathing heavily.

"Naraku Onigumo… Onigumo… Why is it so familiar? And yet… It is so… distant?" Alicia leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "Something is definitely up." She muttered. With a sigh she stood, checked on the sleeping Alexandria, and headed into her room. She sat at the antique roll-top desk, pulled a small book from the bottom drawer and picked up a pen.

"Hello old friend…" She whispered almost reverently, opening the book and placing pen to paper. "Dear Diary…"

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_It's been a while, hasn't it? I last wrote just after Alexandria was conceived, five months before the divorce… But this is quite a deal more worrisome than a potential child on the way. When I used to look back at my diary from when I was eight, I would think that it was all a dream, a fantasy cooked up by my overactive imagination._

_Unfortunately, I think in light of recent events that it might not be. A week ago Ginger vanished without a trace. Five days ago she returned, none worse for the wear. Of course, though, since she had no memory of the past two days she was sent to the hospital and examined. In her X-ray they found the most particular thing. A round object, just below her ribs. It blocked the X-rays as completely as lead would._

_Now I'm beginning to think about what Grandma Leiko said about the Hitei no Tama long ago. It's apparently been in our family for generation upon generation, dating back to ancient times. It was supposed to manifest itself every few generations in the one who would appear most like the creator of the gem. A sort of marking of reincarnation? Or attempt at reincarnation, at least. I don't recall all the specifics, but… what if it has manifested itself in my daughter? What would that mean for myself? And Alexandria? I'm worried, that's for sure._

_What if I can't protect Ginger from whatever it is that will happen because of this?_

_Do other people know? I had a visit this evening. Just now, a man apparently by the name of Naraku Onigumo came, virtually demanding that he see Ginger. He was admittedly handsome, but he had this… incredibly evil aura about him, despite the charm he put on. It made me very uneasy. Wait… Onigumo!_

_I just now looked it up, skimming my diary from thirty years ago, the entries just after Grandma Leiko supposedly took me to Feudal Japan. According to what I wrote, Grandma's acquaintance, Kikyo, took us to visit a paralyzed man who she took care of. His name was, well, by my writing, "Oneegoomo". I think that must have been him! Or a father or cousin or other relative. But how did they get from one era to the next?_

_This is all so confusing. I'm getting a headache thinking of all the 'what ifs' and 'whys'… Perhaps after a good night sleep?_

_Love,_

_Alicia_

* * *

Hmm… I hadn't planned it, but apparently Ginger's family will be playing a slightly bigger role. Well, as you'll see in the sequel, one of them already had a bigger role, but… Anyway… 


End file.
